Cheapass Underquilt

[Roadkillphil]

Well thats it, I've had enough of rollmats in my hammock... homemade, purchased and thermarests too. I've also had enough of my DD Travel hammock believe it or not. When I sleep in it I sweat up as the base is not breathable and my dossbag is soaked.... And nope, it aint rain seeping down the lines doing it, it's me. :) So I have decided that I will be using my Ticket to The Moon kingsize hammock on future excursions.... even if it is blue and yellow! :confused2:

So after giving up on getting hold of a coccoon and checking out some of the other diy underquilt threads I've decided on a quick, cheap and short term solution. this came in the form of a £7.99 dossbag from Aldi. They are selling rectangular and mummy dossbags at the mo... I bought a mummy.

So I'll try and keep this concise...

1) I cut the end of the wipping on both sides of the hood, then pulled through some shock cord all the way from zip to zip. then I made an overhand knot on the bight (bite or however it be spelt!)

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5445/6941637506_884dc6971c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7904270@N07/6941637506/)
£7.99 Aldi dossbag cheapass under quilt project (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7904270@N07/6941637506/) by roadkillphil (http://www.flickr.com/people/7904270@N07/), on Flickr

2) then I cut a 6" gash in the foot end of the bag and fed another length of shockcord through the two loops sewn onto the exterior of the foot end and made the same overhand knot.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7117/6941648424_a90ff081f3.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7904270@N07/6941648424/)
Gashed feet (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7904270@N07/6941648424/) by roadkillphil (http://www.flickr.com/people/7904270@N07/), on Flickr

I passed the head end of my hammock through this gash and connected to my suspension (Whoopies and ridge all connected by karibiner). Then I connected the shockcord at the foot end of the bag to the head end of my hammock (karibiner) and then connected the shockcord on the hood of the bag onto the foot end of my hammock... Confused yet??

Well here is the (nearly) finished product using my fake human body (cushions) to poorly model this work of art!

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5196/6941643098_43ff7eba00.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7904270@N07/6941643098/)
Ready for test drive! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7904270@N07/6941643098/) by roadkillphil (http://www.flickr.com/people/7904270@N07/), on Flickr

Now I tested it the right way round and there just is'nt enough flexibility for the feet, so I flipped the bag round and stuck my feet in the hood bit... Worked a treat, especially as I am a keen subscriber to the diagonal lay, the offset nature of the mummy hood meant my feet slotted in perfectly! 'ansum! ;)

I'm gonna sleep in it tonight in my lounge to test fidgetability and then I'll be spending a night out in the woods on Saturday to field test. If it fairs ok then I may consider sewing up all those bits left dangling out of the knife wounds. If the design principle is sound but the insulation is'nt, I may consider trying this project with a weightier bag and a bit more finnesse.

Tech Specs

Bag:
Price - £7.99
Weight - 800g (allegedly, but it feels lighter)
Filling - 150g/m2 polyester

Hammock: Only the comfiest, bestest hammock in the entire universe!!

Project length: 30 mins + any future sewing time dependent on machine or hand sewing.


I will post further updates with regards to success or failure and welcome any input. I will be using a Snugpak Softie 9 in conjunction with this state of the art quilt ;)

thanks for looking

Phil

[Martin]

If you want any further inspiration Phil, why not pop over to mine and borrow my Snugpak underblanket? You could use it as a template for mark II if there is going to be one.

Martin

[Roadkillphil]

If you want any further inspiration Phil, why not pop over to mine and borrow my Snugpak underblanket? You could use it as a template for mark II if there is going to be one.

Martin

Thanks for the offer :D In the future that will almost definately be happening. At the mo I have a few issues with a full on DIY job, namely not owning or ever having used a sewing machine (it can't be that hard tho surely???) also I need to do a bit more research on Hammock forums to get some alternative ideas too.
This was just a cheap, quick and time effective solution to get me out in the woods this weekend in my TTTM hammock as I'm totally over the DD Travel sweatbox and even the bug net too. My TTTM is awesome, I spent a coupla months living in it in my lounge *#* *#* *#* and it was soooo comfy. :D

[Roadkillphil]

Wow!! how slow am I??? just noticed someone has been playing with my Signature again!!! :D

[Martin]

Wow!! how slow am I??? just noticed someone has been playing with my Signature again!!! :D

What sort of person would do something like that over a week ago? :D

Martin

[Kernowek Scouser]

Good effort Phil, most of my ideas tend not to make it past the 'thinking about' stage, so fair play to you for actually having a go T^

I've never driven a sewing machine either, but would have a go if I had to. However, I was reading D.I.Y. under quilt thread on another forum (which I can not find again at the moment) as I got myself a DD scout a while back, but have no intention of paying a small fortune for an under quilt. Anyway, a fella on this thread mentioned that he had got himself a cheap surplus sniper sleeping bag (I think it was foreign military) which had four zips on it, two for your arms (one short, one full length), one for your head and one for your feet; completely useless for sleeping in unless you happen to be a sniper, but ideal using as a hammock under quilt as all you had to do was open the long, head and foot zips, feed your webbing through the head and foot, zip 'em up, leave the long zip open and hang it up. Job done.

I've no idea how good such a bag might work, if at all and I've not been able to find anything resembling the bag described. But someone here might know the bag the fella was on about, whether it would work and where you could get one, which might be handy if you don't fancy learning to drive a sewing machine, to finish off Philquilt MK1.

Good work regardless :D

[Realearner]

What great timing just got a cheap bag from military mart and it is my next project. So I will be keeping a eye on this one. But got to admit my was dearer than yours, so I will be going careful and hopeing my mother-in-law will be so kind as to sew it up for me..

[Roadkillphil]

Seriously, this is just a bodge it together and see what happens project. In the future I'm gonna have a go at making a proper job. If anyone is wanting to have a go at doing a proper job DIY then mebbe this thread (http://www.naturalbushcraft.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?2777-DIY-underquilt-project) would be more informative.

Thanks for the encouragement chaps :D

[jus_young]

T^

It just had to be done ;) I am beginning to think that I have the same problem as you with the DD sweating up. On the next trip I will be using a DIY ripstop hammock, extra length but with a mozzi net as they like to eat me!!

I love my DIY underquilt. I have spent a good few nights out in it now with temperatures dropping just below freezing with no problems at all. I think the bag I used is a little heavier than yours but I like your footbox within the hood. Give it a couple of nights Phil and you will not go back. Just make sure those sides are tucked around snug but don't use cord around the edges as it pulls in tight and ruins the diagonal lay, it has to be shockcord.

Oh, and as for the sewing machine - its easy. I bought a new one for messing about with as the existing machine somehow got bent ??? The wife refers to it as 'your machine' as I never consulted her before I bought it, like I'm bothered :D

[Roadkillphil]

Hmmmm I find even on a dry summers night that I wake up in the morning and between the hammock and dossbag its soaking and I have to leave the bag hanging off my ridge to dry. I like the design of the hammock but as I still haven't used it as a bivi on the floor, mebbe I'd have been better off with a DD Camping hammock for breathability instead. That said, I'm laid here in my TTTM hammock on tapatalk having woken from the comfiest nights sleep. These hammocks are amazing for comfort! :D
I used my softie 9 as a quilt rather than a bag and I really like how it worked.
I'm gonna see how this fairs over the weekend and mebbe tweak it where necessary to keep me going until I sort my self a permanent under/top quilt arrangement.

Cheers

Phil

[Martin]

I think it's the mats not the hammock that causes so much condensation. Either that or you wet the bed without knowing it. When I used to use a mat in my DD Travel Hammock, I used to find the condensation to be a bit of a problem. Now I use the underblanket and my sleeping bag as a quilt over the top of me I can regulate my temperature so easily that sweating/condensation is just not an issue.

Martin

[Realearner]

Thanks for that link Phil, now I know I need to super crawl to get the swing done :D

[Realearner]

Sorry meant sewing, he he !!!!

[bigzee]

In my very limited experience of sewing machines I've come to the conclusion that for most smallish jobs, it's a damn sight quicker and easier to push a needle backwards and forwards by hand. Get some decent thread and do it by hand, with the aid of a few pins if need be. You'll only end up sending the machine into orbit via the nearest window!!

[jbrown14]

I'm with Martin on this one. I think it's the mats. I've slept in my hammock (a Travel Hammock Skeeter Beeter) with, and without a Thermarest Z-rest evazote pad under me. Every time I've had the pad under me, I wake up with all the little egg-crate like depressions filled with condensation of body vapor. I know it's not coming down from the tarp or anywhere else for that matter because the only place that's wet is what's between me and the mat. It's a little nauseating if I really think about it... When I sleep without the pad under me (and I don't have an underquilt) I'm dry, but a little chilled sometimes.

As for the underquilt, Phil, I love the idea. I've been rolling something like this around in my head for a while, but haven't wanted to sacrifice one of my bags for it yet. Looking forward to your report.

Later!

Josh

[m0txr]

Great idea, i will follow this with great interest. Good work.

[Richie]

I have a DD Frontline and Traveller, but I've not had a problem with condensation at all.
I use an old cheap mummy bag within the compartment under the hammock and it's now my normal setup. I did try sleeping mats etc but none have worked quite so well.
I tried different set-ups in a sort of scientific way to find the best option. I was only looking at warmth though and didn't use the Traveller with these tests.
I'm off for a long weekend on the 27th so may try a night with a sleeping mat in the Traveller and see what happens.

[jus_young]

I have never used the hammock with a mat, only the DIY underquilt (http://www.naturalbushcraft.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?2777-DIY-underquilt-project) and I don't really 'sleep warm' so the damp bag in the mornings is a bit of a mystery. It could well be the sleeping bag itself as the Rab down bags are rather cosy. I suppose the test will be when I try using the DIY hammock.

Let us know how it goes at the weekend Phil and what adaptations you might make. I am thinking of adapting mine for a better fit rather than bothering with a mark 2 version as this one seems warm enough for my needs, and with a couple of outings coming up I am open for a few ideas ready for testing out.

[Kernowek Scouser]

Just seen these, might be useful for this and other under quilt projects?

Quilt Clip
Price £0.65http://ukhammocks.co.uk/.media/321052961578.png
http://ukhammocks.co.uk/shop/article_58/Quilt-Clip.html?shop_param=cid%3D3%26aid%3D58%26

[Roadkillphil]

Sorry folks, didn't report back. I have so much going on :(

Anyways, it was a partial success! :D I rigged it up and got myself bedded down to find I had a real cold bum. This was due to having the shockcord way too tight and the quilt being pulled taught around me. So I hopped out and slackened it off slightly and had a great nights kip.

Positives; it did the job, it was cheap, it didn't take long to get it to this stage and with a bit more tweaking it'll be better.

Negatives; a little restrictive as it is now. I had a good look at Martins snugpak underquilt and it gives you a bit more freedom to move. Also bulk is an issue. It's almost like carrying two dossbags and space is a premium in my 45L pack.

So, I'm gonna mess around with it some more and post back when I eventually get round to the aforementioned messing around.

On my last night out this weekend I used my DD Travel hammock with a thermarest and I was sweat free and had a comfortable nights sleep. I would like to try a few more nights like this, to gauge the setup for sweat and comfort, but I think my homemade 3 layer laminate floor insulation mat was causing the damp sweat issue.
As for the underquilt, once refined, this will be my prefered method for use with the TTTM hammock.

Cheers

Phil

[MikeWilkinson]

http://bushcraftusa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37444

Found this the other day, think it is going to be my next project, as I love the multiple uses a Poncho liner can have.
Anybody else tried something similar?

Mike